Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has threatened legal action against the Presidency if it decides to go ahead with the Grazing Reserve Policy.
Ortom in an interview with journalists in Makurdi on Sunday, insisted that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria superceded the Northern Nigeria Law that provided for grazing reserves.
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He maintained the state government under his watch will not accept the grazing reserve policy, insisting that venue remain standing with the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP).
The governor stressed that Benue will not concede any land for the grazing policy, especially as such lands do not even exist.
“The truth is that if the entire country had accepted ranching, then why is Mr. President insisting on open grazing when there is no land for such.
“In the 50s when this policy was initiated what was the population of Nigeria, it was less that 40 million but today we are more than 200 million. The 923 square kilometer is not even enough to cater for the population. The reason Mr. President is insisting to some of us, I think there is a hidden agenda.
“Mr. President has aides, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and other lawyers around him should advise him. For God sake it is laughable and it appears we do not know what we are doing.
“Under my watch, this state will not accept open grazing . I have already briefed my lawyers should Mr. President insist on going ahead with the Policy,” Ortom posited.
